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No plan to relocate Mandalay jetty: govt

Submitted by Eleven on Thu, 01/12/2017 - 17:13

The Mandalay Region's government will not relocate an oil-jetty project in Amarapura Township, reports say.

Mandalay-based environmental conservation groups have been opposingthe project because it is located near the Sagaing bridge and the Thabyaedan stockade, one of the remnants of the ancient city of Inwa (also known as Ava).The town sits at the confluence of the Ayeyawady and Dotetawady rivers.

Amarapura MP Myint Swe asked at the regional parliament on January 10 if there was any plan to relocate the project.

ZarNi Aung, minister for electricity and construction, replied: “The former government approved the project in January 2013. We’ve studied the construction of the jetty. I will oversee a committee to carry out an environmental impact assessment and technological evaluations. We are going to implement the project in accord with the international standards, so there is no plan to relocate it.”

The Myanmar Energy Development Public Company will construct the jetty.

Myint Swe told the press that he would be monitoring the construction process.

The Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library said it was not happy with the project being so close to the historic landmarks.

The environmentalists groups, Sein Yaung So and Natural Green Alliance,said in November that they were investigating the possible environmental impact of the project and would report to the regional government.

Maung Maung Oo of theSein Yaung So said: “The project area is near the Sagaing fault. Due to earthquakes or man-made disasters, the oil jetty could explode and damage the Thabyaedan stockade and injure residents. These are just the primary risks. There could be more social and environmental impacts.”

“The project can also damage the tourism industry as oil tankers are going to dominate the river all the way to the O-Totetan port which is the only route to Inwa.At least 200 boats pass through the port a day during the high season,” a conservationist argued.